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FG declares Sowore Sole defendant in Cyberbullying Charges
In the case adjourned until 22 January for the commencement of trial, Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the amended charges of cyberbullying Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, by referring to him as a “criminal” on X and Facebook.
• Activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore
The Federal Government through the Department of State Services (DSS), has removed social media platforms X and Facebook from the list of defendants in its Cyberbullying case with the activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, leaving Sowore as the sole defendant
In the case adjourned until 22 January for the commencement of trial, Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the amended charges of cyberbullying Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, by referring to him as a “criminal” on X and Facebook.
At the resumed hearing of the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, counsel for the government, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, informed Justice Mohammed Umar of the two-count amended charge.
While government counsel expressed readiness to commence trial, with a witness present in court, defense counsel Abubakar Marshal opposed the move.
Marshal argued that the witness information and sworn statement were not attached to the charge.
He cited Section 36(6) of the Nigerian Constitution, which requires that witness depositions and names be frontloaded with the charges.
Countering this position, Kehinde SAN maintained that it would not serve the interest of fair hearing to adjourn the matter, noting that previous adjournments had been at the instance of the defendant.
He further argued that since the case is criminal rather than civil, only the list of witnesses and exhibits is required to be filed.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in his ruling, directed the prosecution to provide all relevant documents to the defense team.
In the charge sheet, the prosecution alleges that Sowore knowingly and intentionally disseminated false messages through his official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.
In one post, he wrote:“This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
The prosecution contends that by referring to the Nigerian President as a “criminal,” Sowore published a false statement intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, thereby posing a threat to life.
The charges carry a penalty of a minimum fine of Fifteen Million Naira (₦15,000,000.00) or imprisonment for a term of five years.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Nigeria following a successful two-day state visit to the United Kingdom, arriving in Lagos alongside First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The President is expected to spend the upcoming Sallah break in the city.
He received a warm welcome at the airport from senior government officials, including Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, with applause from gathered supporters and well-wishers.
The visit, hailed as historic and the first full state visit by a Nigerian president to the UK in nearly 40 years, aimed to deepen diplomatic, economic, and trade relations between the two countries.
Key engagements included a royal reception and state banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, as well as high-level bilateral talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street.
A major achievement was President Tinubu witnessing the signing of a £746 million financing agreement backed by UK Export Finance (UKEF).
The deal, involving Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, Citi Bank, and other partners, will fund the modernization and refurbishment of two vital Lagos seaports: the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
The project is designed to reduce congestion, improve efficiency with modern systems, boost Nigeria’s role as a leading maritime hub in West and Central Africa, and include commitments to sourcing components from the UK.
The engagements highlighted strengthened bilateral cooperation, record trade levels, and mutual interests in infrastructure development and sustainable growth.
News
Twining Boosts UK’s Investment in Nigeria By £24mn Ovaltine factory
Located on Wempco road, Ogba, Lagos, Ovaltine has been available and popular in Nigeria since the 1930s via imports.
The manufacturing facility marks the commencement of direct, local manufacturing of the brand by Twinings.
British beverage maker Twining Ovaltine is pumping a fresh £24 million into its Lagos manufacturing facility in an efforts to strengthen the bilateral trade between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
This is disclosed in a statement a statement issued by the UK’s Department of Business and Trade.It said that the investment will create over 100 direct jobs and boosting the company’s exports across West Africa.
Peter Kyle, the UK’s business and trade secretary, said that with bilateral trade now at an all-time high of £8.1 billion a year, the UK and Nigeria are showing how countries grow faster when they grow together.
He emphasised that as the two economies continue to enhance cooperation and trade relations, the investment plans will provide jobs for both countries while transforming lives.
“With Nigerian firms creating jobs across the UK and British businesses expanding into one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, our partnership is strengthening both economies and delivering real benefits for people in both countries,” Kyle said.
Meanwhile, located on Wempco road, Ogba, Lagos, Ovaltine has been available and popular in Nigeria since the 1930s via imports.The manufacturing facility marks the commencement of direct, local manufacturing of the brand by Twinings.
News
Insecurity: PDP says Nigeria’s Safer in 2015 Than Today
In the statement signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary, the party sympathise with the families who have been affected by bombing and calls on the federal government to move beyond rhetoric in security matters.
Opposition party -The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has beaten it’s chest saying, “There is no one, including the President, who will not agree that our country was safer in 2015 than it is today.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the opposition party referenced the recent multiple bombings in Maiduguri, resulting in at least 23 deaths and injuring more than 100 people, alleging that “it was another incontrovertible piece of evidence of the inability of the APC-led federal government to curb the growing insecurity in the country.”
This bombing is an unfortunate addition to the numerous acts of grave insecurity that have occurred under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who was the loudest campaign voice for the APC, promising to end insecurity immediately if his party is elected. Sadly, 11 years later, insecurity has not only increased significantly in the Northeastern part of Nigeria; it has spread almost uncontrollably to many other parts of the country that were hitherto very safe and peaceful.
Despite this glaring failure, the APC-led Presidency has devoted more time, energy, and resources to the task of political genocide against the opposition, instead of deploying the same to combat the growing insecurity that has become the lived reality and new normal of Nigerians.
In the statement signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary, the party sympathise with the families who have been affected by bombing and calls on the federal government to move beyond rhetoric in security matters and engage strategic stakeholders, especially community leaders, as part of a whole-of-society approach to combating insecurity.
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